Fluid-operated elevator



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 20, 1964 INVENTOR.

y 4, 1966 E. HORNEDO 3,252,547

FLUID-OPERATED ELEVATOR Filed May 20, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7'0 FUR.

/ $0 URCE AND ELECTRIC CUNTRGLS MI ELEV/a TOR-S E x I Wllh zae/l 55 W IN VEN TOR.

gauardo Hornedo AND/W35.

United States Patent Office 3,252,547 Patented May 24, 1966 3,252,547 FLUIE-QPERATEE ELEVATOR Eduardo Hornetlo, Tlacotalpan 133,

Mexico City, Mexico Filed May 24 1964, Ser. No. 368,801 2 Claims. (Cl. 1187-47) This invention relates generally to elevators and more particularly to a fluid actuated elevator.

The invention is based on well known physical principles and especially upon the physical-economic principle of Multiplication of the Useful Effect of Work, to wit, that any work applied to a superior resistance or weight of an object or objects to be raised is useless and will be completely lost no matter how many times the work is repeated and applied in separate one by one efforts, notwithstanding the total amount of the repeated efforts be very superior to the resistance or weight of the object or objects to be raised. However, the work may be useful to the maximum nth degree when the potential of the work has been previously accumulated or has been added to other sources of energy or work, despite the fact that each of such sources is insufficient in itself, when such accumulation or addition has been transferred into potential energy, which potential energy is kept in reserve until the moment of desired use or application to the proposed end.

This principle may be illustrated by suppOSing for example that a man is capable of lifting 100 pounds with his arms ten times but no more. Even if he should lift 100 pounds ten times successively which work in lifting amounts to enough energy to lift 1000 pounds, yet he is incapable of lifting 1000 pounds. The work or energy used in lifting the till) pounds ten times can be considered lost or wasted so far as ability to lift 1000 pounds is concerned.

It is the object of the present invention to accumulate the energy and work accomplished in lifting the 100 pounds ten times and use such accumulated energy and work in lifting say i000 pounds. In other words, the object is to take advantage of the work he has accomplished by storing such energy or work in a storehouse of energy, the stored energy having a potential capable of lifting 1000 pounds.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a machine that utilizes the physical-economic principle of the "Multiplication of the Useful Effect of Work by providing means for accumulating, for industrial uses, small or large portions of dynamic energy and transforming same into potential energy; and of transforming this potential energy back again into dynamic energy for use in lifting persons or things.

It is another object of the invention to provide economical means for use on irrigation projects to effectively elevate water from a Water source to an elevated location or storage basin for use in distribution of water and irrigation of land for agricultural purposes.

It is still another object to provide an effective and efficient means for parking automobiles on the street, parking lots and garages by flotation, gravity and hydraulic power.

.It is a still further object of the invention to provide effective meanswhich can be used to even lift ships out of the sea and onto a carriage by which they can be transported across an isthmus and lowered by similar means into the other sea.

It is a further object to provide means that can be applied in principle for use in transporting people and goods up and down the sides of mountains operating carriage railways and thereby attract tourist trade.

It is a still further object of the invention to be a principle that can be easily illustrated and adapted for use in toys.

The principle may also be illustrated by supposing for example a two floor building occupied by several persons who walk up and down several times a day. The energy and work expended in walking up and down is not put to work but wasted. In accordance with the present invention, the several persons would ride down on a platform actuated by the weight of said persons which weight is stored up and put to work in elevating the platform after it has reached the bottom. In this manner, the work or energy expended in descending is not lost but accumulated in the form of potential energy which remains in reserve ready for the moment it is desired to use such energy in elevating such person for example.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an elevator in a building embodying my invention, parts being shown broken away and passengers being shown in the elevator and walking toward the elevator.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a detail view showing the braking mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a detail perspective view of the braking mechanism and automatic mechanism for closing the door.

FIG. 5 is a similar view of an elevator system embodying another modified form of the invention, parts being shown broken away.

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic detail view showing one application of the elevator system of FIG. 5.

Referring now in detail to the various views of the drawings wherein similar reference numerals are used to indicate similar parts throughout. In FIG. I an elevator well or shaft 10 is shown extending through difierent floors 12, 14 to the roof 16, of a building 18. The elevator is indicated generaly at 20 and includes a plurality of vertically disposed spaced I-beams 22 extending through the well is spaced square formation as viewed in FIG. 2, the beams being secured to plates 24 on the roof 16. A reservoir 26, rectangular in configuration, containing water 28, is disposed in the bottom of the well It). The reservoir has a front wall 30, rear *wall 32, bottom wall 34, top wall 36 and side walls 38, 38.

An elongated tubular member 40 extends through the center of the well and supported on the top of the tube 4! there is a square shaped cage 42 consisting of a front wall 44, rear Wall 46, side Walls 48, 48, bottom wall 50 and top wall 52. Flanged plates 57 on the side walls 48, 48 coact with the I-beams 22 for guiding the movement of the cage. The top end of the tube 40 is suitably connected to the bottom wall 54 of the cage. The tube 40 extends through a hole 54 in the top wall 36 of the reservoir 2s and fixedly secured on the bottom end of the tube there is a massive float 56 in the form of a hollow cylindrical tank 58.

The front wall 44 of the cage 42 is formed with a door opening and slidable across this opening for closing the same there is a fiat rectangular shaped metal door 60 having a handle 62. Suitable mechanism is provided for holding the door in closed position and when this mechanism is released, the door is pulled to open position by means of stout springs 64 secured at one end to a side wall of the Well 10 and at the other end to a flange 66 on along edge of the door. This door holding mechanism includes a disc 68 fixed on the end of a pin 70 journalled in the front wall 44 of the cage 42. An elongated flat bar 72 is operatively connected to the disc 68 by means of a radial pin 74 extending from one surface of the disc riding in a closed slot 76 formed in a lateral lug 78 on one long edge of the bar 72. The bar 72 is positioned close: ly spaced from the flange 66 of door 60 and is slidably mounted relative to the flange. The bar is formed with radially disposed lugs 89 at the ends thereof that hold the door 60 against opening movement, but when the bar 72 is slid downwardly as viewed in FIG. 4 by means of the disc 68 actuated by a crank handle 84 on the outer end of pin 70, the lugs '80 are carried into alignment with notches 82 formed in the flange 66 of the door 60 thereby releasing the door and permitting the springs 64 automatically to pull the door to open position.

Braking mechanism is also provided for stopping the elevator cage at the floors. This braking mechanism includes an elongated rod 90 pivotally connected at one end to pin 74 on disc 68. The other end of the rod is pivotally connected to a perforated car 92 formed on a disc 94. An elongated flat bar link 96 is pivotally connected at one end to a pin 98 on one side of the center of the disc 94 adjacent the periphery thereof, and a similar fiat bar link 100 is similarly pivotally connected at one end to a pin 102 on the other side of the center thereof, as best seen in FIG. 4. An angular crank device 194 is pivotally connected at one end to the other end of each of the bars 96 and 100, each crank device being pivotally connected midway, its ends on a pin 106' extending from an L- 'shaped bracket 108 secured to the bottom of the cage 42. The other free ends 110 of the crank devices are slid along an opposed I-beam 22 and are adapted to be swung into holes 112 formed in the I-beams opposite the floors, simultaneously upon actuation of the crank handle 84 for opening the door 60.

Opposite each floor of the house, on each side of the Well and L-shaped bracket 116 is secured to an I-beam 22 and mounted fixedly on the bracket there is a stout compression spring 118, serving as a bumper for cushioning the movement of the cage when stopping.

In operation, assuming that the floor of the cage is level with the floor of the building, the door 60 is then opened and the passengers step through the door opening onto the floor 50 of the cage. The door is manually closed. The braking mechanism is released and the cage with the passengers falls by gravity downwardly through the well or shaft 10 forcing the tank 56 on the bottom end of the tube 40 downwardly through the water 28 in the reservoir 26. The cage can be stopped at any point along the shaft by operating the crankhandle 84 which actuates the rod 90 which in turn extends the bars 96 and 100 swinging the crank devices 104 into interlocking relation with the I-beams 22. The submersion of the tank 56 in the water conserves energy, the reservoir and movement of the tank constituting a storehouse of energy, which conserved energy is used in raising the, cage and the passengers therein.

Referring now to the modification of the invention illustrated in FIG. 5, herein a well or shaft 10a is shown in a building 18a together with floors 180, 182, 184, 186 on one side of the well, and floors 1 90, 192, 194, 196 on the other side of the well. A pair of cylindrical reservoirs 26a, 26a is mounted in the bottom of the well spaced from each other and connected at the bottom ends by a pipe 200. Both reservoirs are adapted to hold water 28a. A cage 42a is interlocked with I-beams 22a extending along the sides of the well 10a by means of flanged plates 57a above each reservoir 26a. Braking mechanism similar to the braking mechanism shown in FIG. 3m including the extensibe bars 96' and 100' and crank devices 104' is used to stop the movements of the cage at any point along the well or shaft. A tube 40a extends from each cage 42a into the reservoir 26a therebelow and carries a piston 56a on the bottom end thereof disposed above the water 28a in the reservoir.

In operation, when a passenger or passengers step onto the floor of one of the cages 42a and the braking mechanism is released, the cage and passengers fall by gravity downwardly into the well and the piston 56a carried by said one cage forces the water 28a in its respective reservoir out of said reservoir through the pipe 200 into the bottom end of the other reservoir 26a forcing whatever water there is in such other reservoir upwardly thereby forcing the piston 56a in said other reservoir upwardly which in turn forces the cage upwardly. A valve 204 interposed in pipe 200 controls the flow of water from one reservoir to the other and this valve is electrically actuated by means of conductors 206 and 208 leading to the controls in the cages. When-one cage 42a is up the other is down and vice versa. I

It shall be understood that this apparatus upon being adapted for parking off highways and for mountain use, the unit such as shown in FIG. 1 can be inclined outwardly and upwardly from the side of the road to elevate vehicles from the road or up a mountain side.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An elevator system comprising in combination spaced floors in a building, an elevator shaft extending through said floors, I-beams constituting the sides of the shaft, a cage slidable along said I-beams, a flanged door slidably mounted on the cage, spring means for. sliding the door to open position when released, flangedplates on the cage coacting with the I-beams for guiding the movement of the cage, a water reservoir at the bottom end of the shaft, said reservoir having an opening in the top thereof, a tube depending from the cage and extending through the opening in the top of the reservoir into said reservoir, a cylindrical hollow tank carried on the bottom end of the tube in the reservoir, said cage and passengers therein together With associated parts adapted to drop down in the shaft by gravity forcing said tank through the water in the reservoir whereby energy is stored in the reservoir for forcing the cage and associated parts with passengers upwardly in the shaft, when desired, said I-beams having spaced openings therealong, said door normally held against movement by a flanged slidable bar coacting with the flange on the door, pivotal crank devices carried by the cage, and means for automatically moving said slidable bar to release the door and for simultaneously pivoting said crank devices into interlocking relation with the openings in the I-beams for braking the movement of the cage.

2. An elevator system comprising in combination spacedfloors in a'building, an elevator shaft extending through said floors, I-beams constituting the sides of the shaft, a cage slidable along said I-beams, a flanged door.

slidably mounted on the cage, spring means for sliding the door to open position when released, flanged plates on the cage coacting with the I-beams for guiding the movement of the cage, a water reservoir at the bottom end of the shaft, said reservoir having an opening in the top thereof, a tube depending from the cage and extend ing through the opening in the top of the reservoir into said reservoir, a cylindrical hollow tank carried on the bottom end of the tube in the reservoir, said cage and passengers therein together with associated parts adapted to drop down in the shaft by gravity forcing said tank through the water in the reservoir whereby energy is stored in the reservoir for forcing the cage and associated parts With passengers upwardly in the shaft, when desired, said door normally held against movement by a flanged slidable bar coacting with the flange on the door and means for automatically moving said slidable bar to' release the door and for simultaneously braking the movement of the cage, said automatic means including a disc rotatably mounted on the cage, 21 pin and slot connection between the disc and siidable bar, a handle for turning said disc, crank devices coacting with the I-beams for holding said cage against movement and a rod and linkage connection between the crank devices and the disc whereby movement of the disc is imparted to the crank devices.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,023,159 4/1912 Lockhar 18774 6 1,872,803 8/ 1932 Persson 187-95 2,927,661 3/ 1960 Kristek 18717 FOREIGN PATENTS 102,301 3/1896 Germany.

21,475 10/ 1905 Great Britain. 10,821 5/ 1910 Great Britain. 356,678 2/ 1938 Italy.

EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Examiner.

H. C. HORNSBY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ELEVATOR SYSTEM COMPRISING IN COMBINATION SPACED FLOORS IN A BUILDING, AN ELEVATOR SHAFT EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FLOORS, I-BEAMS CONSTITUTING THE SIDES OF THE SHAFT, A CAGE SLIDABLE ALONG SAID I-BEAM, A FLANGED DOOR SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON THE CAGE, SPRING MEANS FOR SLIDING THE DOOR TO OPEN POSITION WHEN RELEASED, FLANGED PLATES ON THE CAGE COACTING WITH THE I-BEAMS FOR GUIDING THE MOVEMENT OF THE CAGE, A WATER RESERVOIR AT THE BOTTOM END OF THE SHAFT, SAID RESERVOIR HAVING AN OPENING IN THE TOP THEREOF, A TUBE DEPENDING FROM THE CAGE AND EXTENDING THROUGH THE OPENING IN THE TOP OF THE RESERVOIR INTO SAID RESERVOIR, A CYLINDRICAL HOLLOW TANK CARRIED ON THE BOTTOM END OF THE TUBE IN THE RESERVOIR, SAID CAGE AND PASSENGERS THEREIN TOGETHER WITH ASSOCIATED PARTS ADAPTED TO DROP DOWN IN THE SHAFT BY GRAVITY FORCING SAID TANK THROUGH THE WATER IN THE RESERVOIR WHEREBY ENERGY IS STORED IN THE RESERVOIR FOR FORCING THE CAGE AND ASSOCIATED PARTS WITH PASSENGERS UPWARDLY IN THE SHAFT, WHEN DESIRED, SAID I-BEAM HAVING SPACED OPENINGS THEREALONG, SAID DOOR NORMALLY HELD AGAINST MOVEMENT BY A FLANGED SLIDABLE BAR COACTING WITH THE FLANGE ON THE DOOR, PIVOTAL CRANK DEVICES CARRIED BY THE CAGE, AND MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY MOVING SAID SLIDABLE BAR TO RELEASE THE DOOR AND FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY PIVOTING SAID CRANK DEVICES INTO INTERLOCKING RELATION WITH THE OPENINGS IN THE I-BEAMS FOR BRAKING THE MOVEMENT OF THE CAGE. 